Enough squeaker abuse- let’s upgrade fursuit sound effects!

by Patch O'Furr

Who is this amazing snarling werewolf from Anthrocon 2014? He inspired this post… (edit: video down)

This is for barking, growling, purring fursuiters of the future.

If you’ve been to a furry con, you’ve heard the use and abuse of squeakers. They sound hilarious when you first hear them. I sure was charmed when I heard them the first time!

It gets old… fast. Forums joke about charging a fee for every time someone uses a squeaker. But don’t let me trash them wholesale… they’re wonderful in moderation. I love meeting fursuiters who put them in their paws, and don’t “talk” with them, but unexpectedly squeak them on you if you go for a hug.

Voice performing is great, but not everyone has a voice for it. There must be other great sound enhancements for costumers. When I see what some people do with electronics, it makes me imagine wide open potential for tech-assisted sound effects.

(I mentioned this to a friend, who told me to look at this “cat ear” device. It’s headphones that turn into speakers with a switch. Will we see these on music furries soon?)

Try to find a kid who won’t crack up at a good whoopie cushion prank. This low-tech classic has stood the test of time. When kids of the Great Depression didn’t even have beans to eat, they could still cheer up by sneaking one into church or under Grandma’s rocking chair. Nowadays, you can’t hide a newfangled phone app that way, though.

Ever seen a fart machine? It’s a cheap sound player with a tiny remote control. That makes it better than a phone app.

How about accessorizing a costume with customizable sound machines for animal or cartoon noises? Sound effects are easy to find… It’s the device that needs creative invention. You can’t activate a phone app with paws on. How can you build in special switches to activate sounds? Here’s some ideas:

Glove-fitted pads, or switches in each finger.

You may have seen LCD lighted shirts… what about activation areas on a garmet?

How about belt-mounted switches?

I read a tip for tracking luggage and fursuits shipped through airports. There’s a little gizmo called “Trakdot.” It’s a miniature tracking device that reports luggage location to your phone. How about miniaturizing an “anything switch” to that size? It could be a single-purpose button that you program to do one thing… any one thing, like turning on a light, your garage door, who knows… if it can fit inside a paw finger, 10 of them could activate 10 different sounds.

Can you share any fursuit sound effects tips? I’m too lazy to search much beyond this “Rar box” tip and video of one in action (not an easy looking build:)

Shhh, don’t spoil my pranks… but I just bought a remote-activated “fart machine” to install in my fursuit tail. Enjoy this classic. 🙂